Methadone Detox

Methadone Detox

Banyan Detox Facilities can help you detox from harmful medications that can cause physical dependence and that produce symptoms of withdrawal when ceased. Methadone at its best can be a life saver for people struggling with opiate addiction.

The problem with using methadone to treat opiate addiction is that it is also a highly addictive, mood-altering narcotic that is incredibly difficult to detox from. Just one dose of methadone can take over a month to leave your body. Even with great willpower, a month of withdrawal symptoms would be hard for almost anyone to manage, especially when you have a life to live and responsibilities to uphold.

Thus, other detox methods are important to sustained sobriety. At Banyan Detox, we know that while this may be a lengthier undertaking, it is safer and far more comfortable for the patient to detox in the safety of our facility.

What is Methadone?

Methadone belongs to the opioid family of drugs; it is a long acting synthetic narcotic analgesic. It has been used since the 1960s to help people recover from opiate addiction. It is an opioid agonist, which is similar to narcotic medications, including morphine. Methadone is not expected to cause the same initial euphoric rush as heroin and other drugs, but the person who is abusing methadone is probably still going to feel high when they first start abusing it. As they develop a tolerance, if they don’t increase their dosage, they might just feel numb and drugged without the high.

Because of this lack of euphoria, a person new to abusing methadone may increase dosage in an attempt to achieve the rush. They run the risk of overdose and even death.

What is Methadone Withdrawal Like?

Symptoms of methadone withdrawal usually start within 30 hours after your last exposure to the drug. This timeframe is longer compared to withdrawal from other types of opiates, but the pain isn’t any less severe.

The length of withdrawal varies, lasting up to a few weeks or longer.

At first, withdrawal may feel like the flu. Muscle aches and pains are common after you stop taking methadone. As the symptoms of withdrawal progress, you might feel severely nauseous. Vomiting, cramps, and diarrhea may also occur. Some other uncomfortable symptoms might be:

tired

anxious

restless

sweaty

Here at Banyan Detox, we help make our patients the most comfortable they can be during this difficult time.

Methadone Detox Methods

Methadone when prescribed for opiate addiction is eventually tapered down after an extended period of time. It is known in the opiate family for having the longest detox, which also makes the typical taper a lengthy period, sometimes extending for over a year. At Banyan Detox, we offer detox protocols to shorten the time frame that a normal Methadone Doctor would recommend. We believe in making our clients Substance-Free ASAP and returning to normal lives, not over multiple years. Just like any other opiate, Methadone can lead to serious complications if used long term, and should be detoxed properly and safely.